1 more week until Dear Innovare is released AND I’m part of a Descendents cover album!

One more week until my full-length album comes out! I hope you all preorder it. You also get the first song automatically if you do. Feel free to check it out here: https://ospreyshire.bandcamp.com/album/dear-innovare-the-souls-of-ignored-pioneers-shall-be-renowned

In other news, I have the first ever Ospreyshire cover song out on ZAP Records’ Coverage compilation! This is a FREE album that features various artists covering songs from Descendents. For those of you who don’t know, I’m talking about the punk band and not some crappy Disney Channel movie series about the teenage sons and daughters of random villains in that franchise! Anyway, this was so awesome being a part of this compilation and I’m thankful for Dave for reaching out to me. The song I covered was “Tack” from their “Cool to Be You” album. I give this perky punk song the Ospreyshire treatment and turned it into a dark ambient song. Changing the tempo and lyric order really changes the meaning of the song and I made only minimal changes to the original vocal melody. Feel free to listen and download my cover and the rest of the album.

The Old-Timers are back, BABY!

My friends in the Scottish/South African hardcore band The Old-Timers FINALLY released some new music in the form of a 4 song EP. It’s Short Sharp Shift and it’s 4 short songs and the whole EP is a minute and a half long. I’m glad Dave and Don are making music together again. Big props to ZAP Records to releasing this EP! It’s only $1 to buy. Come on, you can’t even get a song for that same amount of money, so support independent music.

Over 3000 views and the Birthday Aftermath

Well, the birthday surprises just keep coming, don’t they?

For starters, I recently crossed the 3000 view threshold on the Ospreyshire blog. Thank you to all who have checked out this blog for my music, opinions, poems, and everything else!

Without further ado, I’m going to show you some of the gifts I’ve received on my birthday…

I got this vinyl in the mail from my Scottish friend Dave. This is the newest album from 2 Minute Minor, who are labelmates of mine who also happen to be from the same state as me. This Chicago-based hardcore band make some conscious music while still making quality tunes. You can listen to their album here.

In this block of photos, it involves drawings, Twix, and a Target gift card from my friend Kip. He’s a talented artist and I hope he finishes the comic book projects he’s been working on for years. I’ve known him since I was in middle school and we still talk to each other.

I just so happened to get two Amazon gift cards with the same amount from two separate friends. They would be from Marcie and Christy whom I’ve known for a long time. Marcie went to the same church as I did growing up and Christy went to the same school as Kip and I when we were young. It was great of the both of them surprising me.

I hope my aniblogger friends appreciate this picture. This is an amigurumi (crocheted figures) of Kimba the White Lion. My friend Essence made this for me and it looks amazing. There’s no pattern to making Kimba, so she created this crocheted attempt at this character entirely from scratch and she did a phenomenal job with it. Feel free to support Essence’s crocheting business at Hooked on Cozy. She’s created amigurumi of Pokemon and Attack on Titan characters so far.

Thank you, everyone!

ZAP Records Spotlight: 2 Minute Minor

Here’s another example of some quality Chicago hardcore music. This is 2 Minute Minor. They are a sextet from the Windy City that also features members from October Bird of Death. They base their music on 80s hardcore and some Oi! music. Their debut EP “…A Goon’s Best Friend” is on ZAP’s Bandcamp. By the way, this album is free or pay-what-you-want. They also have another album coming out on May 11th.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/2minuteminorhardcore/about/?ref=page_internal

ZAP Records Spotlight: Dragged Out

Here’s an old-school example of ZAP Records’ older catalog. This is Dragged Out. They are a Scottish hardcore/punk band that was around in the early-mid 00s. This was one of the early bands from ZAP founder Dave Emmerson and also a mutual friend of ours named Dougle McMysteron. This is their entire discography in one album. By the way…it’s free or pay-what-you-want!

Feel free to check out Dragged Out!

ZAP Records Spotlight: UntilWeDie!

This new album just dropped today according to UK time. It’s the newest band signed to ZAP Records: UntilWeDie!

They are a punk quartet based in California who play some thrashy tunes with urgent and loud vocals. UntilWeDie! is heavily influenced by old-school punk and 90s hardcore. If you’re into some traditional punk rock, then UntilWeDie! will be something you may like.

ZAP Records Spotlight: October Bird of Death

Here’s another post involving the ZAP Records family. This time, I’m talking about a band representing my home state of all things.

This is October Bird of Death. They are a hardcore band straight outta Chicago. This isn’t some scene kid stuff or fake machismo metalcore. October Bird of Death play no-frills, no-BS, good old-fashioned hardcore punk rock. These guys are a bit of a superband of sorts in the Chicago hardcore and punk scenes as they contain past and present members of Headnoise, The Blamed, and Ballydowse.

Their debut album “Death Made Its Offer” is free or pay-what-you-want on the ZAP Records Bandcamp page, and there’s even a version on CD and cassette, too.

Feel free to check them out at https://www.facebook.com/octoberbirdofdeath.

Also…I realized that October Bird of Death and my stage name Ospreyshire are both Illinoisan musicians signed to ZAP Records, have names that start with O, and both names reference birds. #HilariousInHindsight

ZAP Records Spotlight: Praiser

It’s been a little while since I talked about some other bands or artists from ZAP Records, but I’ve known these guys for a few years now.

This is Praiser. They are a hardcore/punk band from Hamburg, Germany. They just released a greatest hits album called “20 Again” on ZAP’s Bandcamp page. These guys make some fun music. I like how that can make legitimate punk tunes that are socially conscious, have meaning, and they subvert so many cliches associated with Christian rock despite having that world view. I can’t think of too many other bands of that ilk destroying the Prosperity Gospel, calling out hypocrisy in religious sociopolitical circles, and even criticizing Christians who hold racist, sexist, or homophobic views. Good on them for being brave like that.

You can get this 20 song album for only $8 on Bandcamp. That money goes to making quality DIY independent music instead of some faceless musical conglomerate.

Check out Praiser at the following sites…

http://praiser.de
http://praiser.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/PryrHardcore/

-Curtis

ZAP Records Spotlight: To Live As Sons

This has been irregular, but I need to be better at this recent idea I had where I talk about the other bands and artists on ZAP Records. That’s the label that I’m affiliated with, for those who didn’t know.

This band is To Live As Sons. They are a hardcore band based in West Virginia. This quintet has two original members from Zao, who are a legendary band in the hardcore and metalcore scenes. It’s crazy how I’m labelmates with them, but they make some good music.

It’s their newest song “Get the Horizon”. It was originally on the ZAP Records Vol. 3 compilation album, but the song is now released as a single.

By the way…it’s FREE (or pay-what-you-want)! That should save you some money on Black Friday. Just sayin’.

Feel free to check them out.

-Curtis

ZAP Records Friends Vol. 3 Compilation [FREE Download!]

What’s up, everyone?

ZAP Records has released their third compilation in their Friends Series. There are all kinds of bands including some of my own labelmates from all over the world releasing current and brand new exclusive tunes including this guy! I debuted a new song called “Emancipating Spark” which will be only on the compilation and nowhere else.

What are you waiting for? It’s a free download with 15 songs on it with numerous genres represented.

Also, check out ZAP Records at http://facebook.com/zaprecords.

-Curtis